Implementing Revisions to the WIC Food Packages: Flexibilities to Support Healthy Choices, Healthy Outcomes, and Healthy Families

USDA’s Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) is proven to improve the nutritional health of its participants—pregnant and breastfeeding women, women who recently had a baby, infants, and children up to 5 years of age. WIC provides minimally processed, healthy foods specifically prescribed to support growth and development during those critical life stages. Nutrition education, breastfeeding support, and healthcare referrals are also included.

This memo clarifies state agency flexibility to implement changes to the WIC food packages in ways that support the Trump Administration’s commitment, under the leadership of USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins, to encourage healthy choices, healthy outcomes, and healthy families through the federal nutrition programs.

Background

On April 18, 2024, FNS published the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC): Revisions in the WIC Food Packages final rule (which will be referred to throughout this document as the final rule). The revised WIC food packages support participants’ health by better promoting and supporting the establishment of successful, long-term breastfeeding; providing WIC participants with a wider variety of foods including fruits, vegetables and whole grains; and providing WIC state agencies with more options to accommodate each WIC participant’s individual needs.

Implementation Flexibilities

State agencies have flexibility to implement the WIC food packages changes in ways that meet their participants’ unique nutritional needs, reduce administrative burden for WIC staff, and minimize program costs, thereby protecting the investment of American taxpayers.

Implementation Timelines

State agencies have until April 20, 2026, to implement most of the changes in the final rule. (Vitamin D supplementation in yogurt has an extended implementation date of April 19, 2027.) WIC Policy Memorandum #2024-5 encourages state agencies to implement changes before implementation deadlines. In doing this, state agencies may:

• Phase-in the revised WIC food packages on a participant category basis. For example, changes to food packages for children ages 1-4 years may be implemented on a different schedule than changes to food packages for pregnant participants.
• Implement any changes that expand substitution options state agency-wide (e.g., additional whole grain options) at any time, including before implementing any food package-specific changes.

Whole-Grain Cereal

Whole grains contain a variety of nutrients, including fiber, and are an important part of a healthy diet. The revised WIC food packages require that 75% of breakfast cereals meet whole grain criteria, allowing state agencies to provide a wide variety of whole grain cereals along with some non-whole grain options. State agencies have flexibility and are encouraged to support healthy choices by making more than 75% of the breakfast cereals offered whole grain.

Substitution Options

While all WIC foods must align with program requirements, state agencies have significant flexibility to determine the brands, types, and forms of WIC-eligible foods to authorize for their state food list. Further, while state agencies are required to authorize certain substitutions to ensure all WIC families receive a package of healthy foods, they have the choice to offer additional substitution options.

State agencies are encouraged to consider ways these flexibilities and options can best support healthy outcomes for WIC participants. Attachment A provides a high-level summary of these requirements (see 7 CFR 246.10 for full requirements) and available state agency options.

We appreciate your commitment to the successful and timely implementation of the revised WIC food packages and, in turn, are committed to supporting you in this effort. The Changes to the WIC Food Packages Q&As offer clarification on a variety of the changes, and Attachment B can help answer additional questions about flexibilities available to state agencies when implementing the revised WIC food packages.

State agencies may direct any questions to their respective FNS regional office.

Attachments

• Attachment A - State Agency Options and Select Federal Requirements
• Attachment B - WIC Food Packages Flexibility Q&As